iPods: It's Plusses and Minuses
Here are the reasons why you should buy an iPod:
1. It is compact, you can take your ENTIRE CD collection with you. The iPod slips very easily in your pocket and is pretty light.
2. It is extremely easy to use. Plug it in and it automaticcally all the songs from your computer (iTunes) to your iPod. Very very fast connection and updating. It only takes about 4 seconds to update an average sized album. Amazing huh?
3. It's very very convenient. One thing I really about the iPod is that you can create playlists so your songs can play in a particular order. You can make as many playlists as you like and it'll take like 10 seconds. If you want to burn the songs into a portable CD player, it'll take a good 20 minutes, AND you get worse music quality. You can change your playlists as many times and you want.
4. It's got a lot of other features on it. The games are really fun. You can also put notes, calendar, and contacts on it.
5. The sound is really good. You get equalizer and you can adjust to maximize the quality of music depending on the genre.
6. The design ROCKS!

Some not so great points about the iPod:
1. It scratches very easily and unless you don't mind that, you're gonna have to buy some kind of case for it, which will make it slightly bigger (but some will make it more fashionable).
2. The battery really doesn't last that well compared to some other mp3 players out there. To get the most out of your iPod battery, do not fully discharge it before you recharge it. (There's no memory effect.)Supposedly it lasts 18 months if you listen to 6 hours of music a day. (Still not that bad!)
3. The price is pretty up there... But say, you use it everyday for the next 1.5 years, the iPod costs 75 cents a day. (Referring to the 20GB version). And chances are you ARE gonna use it for more that 1.5 years.

Some final words:
Go for it, you really won't regret the purchase. The iPod is a timeless thing. The iPod really opened my eyes to music. I now listen to a wider variety of music. With iTunes, purchasing songs you like can never be easier. Once again, GO FOR IT!! NO REGRETS!!

amazing machine in a tiny package
It still amazes me how so many songs can fit onto such a tiny device. I have over 4,500 songs on my 15GB ipod and still have over 4 gigs left. In comparison to other mp3 players, (that is, comparing only those features from rival brands that are found on the ipod), the ipod does everything that it is supposed to do and does it great. I would definitely recommend this amazing little machine to anyone in the market for an mp3 player that packs a punch. The only concern that possible buyers may have is the battery issue. But does this worry me?..no, though I realize my ipod's battery will eventually die and cost me 99 dollars to replace it, in the long run the cost of replacing the batteries of similar mp3 players will be about the same with the only difference being that my mp3 player is the best in its class.

A few words of advice, don't pay attention to the specs that say this little dandy will only hold a couple thousand songs, use mp3 pros through musicmatch pro and you'll fit 3 times as many songs onto the ipod as apple says you can. And definitely, DEFINITELY invest in a decent pair of headphones, the supplied set are absolutely atrocious.

The Best mp3 Jukebox Out There
Apple has really done it this time, with their iPods that are getting more and more popular every day, especially with the iPod minis, available in 5 different colors. This 15 GB iPod is so user-friendly, any non-computer genius can use it. The fact that iTunes automatically updates your iPod when you plug it in is even cooler. The only reason I give the iPod four stars, is because the iPod itself, especially the metal back, scratches very easily. This can be easily solved with the use of a case that can be purchased at any Best Buy or other electronics store in your area.

I have purchased a few mp3 players and jukeboxes before, but none of them come close to the user friendliness and quality that the iPod brings. I purchased a RCA Lyra Jukebox and a Rio 20GB Jukebox, and returned both within 2 weeks. Why? The two were jsut not quality products. The fact that this iPod is such a good quality buy is making me consider purchasing a Mac computer!

Another note: if your computer does not have a firewire port, then you need to purchase an iPod USB Dock Connector, which can be purchased at Target, Circuit City, or any other electronics store.